This evening, the iQOO 9 series was released. From the warm-up to the official release, the iQOO digital flagship series, which has always been traceable, suddenly burst out some incomprehensible things, including media people like me who have been watching iQOO move forward steadily, and they also feel a little puzzling. So, after getting the product early and communicating a few times, I decided to write a small article to talk about, after all, every generation of iQOO will be like this, has become a habit.
The sudden arrival of the iQOO 9 Pro
On August 17, 2021, iQOO 8 Pro was released, when my evaluation of it was "gorgeous terminator", because the word "stacking" was vividly reflected in this iQOO flagship model, especially the E5 material 2K large screen, large-area ultrasonic fingerprint and high-power wireless charging, so that its technical content is even worse than the blue factory imaging flagship vivo X70 Pro+. It is precisely for this reason that many people think that the iQOO 8 Pro will also maintain the rhythm of one year a year as before, after all, the pile of materials is piled up on this part, how can it be changed? Unless you change processor platforms like other vendors. Unexpectedly, iQOO really did just that this time.
Whether it is iQOO 5 Pro, or iQOO 8 Pro, because of its product positioning problems, they basically did not upgrade with the changes in the industry's flagship processors, respectively, launched in August 2020 and 2021, at that time, the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 888 platforms have been updated for more than half a year. However, the iQOO 5 Pro's 120W fast charge + GN1 outsole + telephoto module, and the features mentioned earlier in the iQOO 8 Pro, make them very attractive. From the perspective of purely defining product functions, these two generations have been very successful.
However, only four and a half months after the release of the iQOO 8 Pro, the iQOO 9 Pro rushed to the dust and directly hitched a ride on the morning bus of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8. From the perspective of changes in product characteristics, the changes in the two generations of products are not too big, the basic configuration: Qualcomm new Snapdragon 8 troika will not be less, the rave-like E5 material 2K LTPO large screen, large area ultrasonic fingerprints have been retained, wired and wireless double fast charging is the same as the industry's first echelon, it is gratifying that the capacity of the dual battery system has increased again, to 4700mAh - from the earliest 4000mAh to 4500mAh and now, If this 6C dual-cell system can pull the capacity to 5000mAh, it is really great.
The infrared interface that many people have in mind this time the iQOO 9 Pro also has, which must be closely integrated with the IoT strategy that Blue Factory will strengthen. Then there is the iQOO Pro-class image that has not been weak this time: the main camera has changed from the previous generation of IMX766V custom sensor to the same level of Samsung S5KGN5, which is also a micro-gimbal blessing; the ultra-wide angle has changed from the previous generation's 48-megapixel IMX598 to the 50-megapixel Samsung S5KJN1 (note that it is a universal version, not the customized version of the JNV on the S12 Pro), and upgraded to a 150° viewing angle The 2.5x portrait is still the 16-megapixel Samsung S5K3P9. The adoption of Samsung's family barrel also reflects the good relationship between Blue Factory and Samsung Semiconductor. Does the JN1 bottom feel that the exposure rate has been extremely high recently? Although its 0.68μm single pixel size is not too reassuring, the custom IMX598 with the IMX586 series is still old, even if it is polished well, and it is normal to slowly walk off the historical stage. In addition, the ultra-wide module with a 150° viewing angle will be seen a lot this year.
After reading the configuration changes, the reason why the iQOO 9 Pro should be updated so quickly is also on paper: iQOO 8 Pro as an industry flagship priced at 4500 yuan, in the face of the impact of this wave of new flagships at the beginning of 2022, its slow half-generation update time has caused the possibility of "eating up": the flagship machine generally pulls up to about 5000mAh capacity under the premise of maintaining high-power fast charging; the sensor's new celebrity JN1 arrives, and its 1/2.8-inch size. Naturally more convenient than IMX598 1/2 inch to bring a large perspective of wide-angle shooting capabilities, good or not to use is a word, user perception is really obvious; Snapdragon 888 + Although tuned better than Snapdragon 888, but the reputation of this generation of processor is no matter how to say that it is also a pit, to 2022 put on the sub-flagship combined with a good price Consumers can accept, but if it still appears on the main flagship, it is difficult to say if it wants to be popular. Oh, it is especially worth mentioning that the 120W GaN C2C charging head included with the iQOO 9 Pro, it is the end of the blue factory a stem, ending the history of the factory without C2C charging head, like!
Not broken, the iQOO team naturally knows that the update rhythm of more than 4 months is counterintuitive, but if it is not done now, it is too late to start when it is impacted, so it is not two without stopping, and with the update of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8, the product rhythm of iQOO Pro at this level is also consistent with the digital flagship, so that the initiative can be firmly grasped in their hands. From this level of evaluation, iQOO is naturally inheriting the fine tradition of blue factory product definition and GTM, but in iQOO 9, people can't understand things at a glance.
Unleash your own design
iQOO 9 series is good, the right side of the camera is pure flat, at most only a little text decoration, in contrast, the design route of the two-color cloud level is really convergent and elegant and good-looking. Before writing the release of the vivo S12 series, I had already complained that this excessive pursuit of blank design would lose its proper rhythm and compactness, but I did not expect that the iQOO 9 series was directly pushed to the extreme this time. Then again, the appearance is not good, the opinion is different, it varies from person to person, I just express my own opinion, but from the perspective of technology, iQOO 9 Pro and iQOO 9 These two big boards are really fine enough, there is nothing wrong with this aspect, I believe someone will like it.
Let's talk about iQOO 9. In contrast, although it is also more than four months of updating, the upgrade of iQOO 9 in all aspects is more normal. As the main model of the iQOO digital flagship for e-sports users, this time its screen is upgraded to a 6.78-inch Samsung E5 flexible straight screen, the size is slightly improved; the double screen down pressure sense, dual X-axis linear motor and stereoscopic double Yang, which are well received by game users, have been upgraded; the image part, from the polished IMX598 to the mainstream GN5, this item is a compliment, The iconic double portrait of the Blue Factory has changed from the 13-megapixel Samsung S5K3L6 to the Sony 12-megapixel IMX663, which is also a bottom worth seeing this year. In addition, the battery capacity has been increased from 4300mAh to 4700mAh, which is important for users.
iQOO 9 series of two models are using the latest OriginOS Ocean of the blue factory is also expected, in terms of the speed of the new system, iQOO seems to have always done faster than vivo, and now there are four new machines using this new operating system. From the software level, the sales of new machines play a strong role in promoting to meet the user's enthusiasm for the pursuit of new things, this strategy is still in place.
Write at the end
Recently, the news of changes in the iQOO top level has been spread on Weibo, which is true, and the specific details can certainly not be publicly detailed. In contrast, I am more concerned about what impact these changes will have on iQOO, which has been steadily moving forward. Will product definitions, marketing strategies, etc. change? If such a change has been reflected in the somewhat self-indulgent design of the iQOO 9 series, it may be something I personally don't want to see. But in any case, from the perspective of the change in the rhythm of this new product, iQOO is still as sharp and steady as ever, and I hope that after a short period of turbulence, iQOO can still make big moves and bring surprises to consumers.